麻豆社

I am delighted to introduce the 麻豆社 Audience Council Northern Ireland’s Review for 2013/14. This is my first full year as 麻豆社 National Trustee for Northern Ireland and Chair of the Audience Council, whose knowledgeable and committed members volunteer their time freely to ensure that the audience voice in Northern Ireland is heard at the highest level of the 麻豆社.

This has been a year of change and challenges as well as many highlights across the 麻豆社’s TV, radio and online services. We had the pleasure of commemorating Spotlight’s 40th anniversary and witnessing the creative fusion of Seamus Heaney and Billy Connolly in Five Fables. We were terrified by The Fall and experienced the special power of events to galvanise communities and portray a different and positive view of Northern Ireland, through the coverage of the G8 Summit, Derry-Londonderry UK City of Culture 2013 and The World Police and Fire Games.
These achievements are set against an increasingly complex background of reduced resources, rapid technological change, the intricacies of devolution, a recovering economy, demographic shifts and changing audience preferences and ways of consuming content. The Audience Council has highlighted the 麻豆社’s responsibility to respond to these changes in its services and to live up to the high expectations that licence fee payers place on it as a public service broadcaster.

Our role and membership

Our activities have revolved around our core responsibilities as an adviser to the 麻豆社 Trust: to provide the Trust with an assessment of 麻豆社 performance in Northern Ireland, to contribute to Trust decision-making and to raise emerging issues for local audiences.

We regularly recruit for new volunteers to join the Audience Council. This year we said goodbye to four members and thanked them for their considerable contributions, and we welcomed four new members. Membership is open to anyone over the age of sixteen. It is important that the Council reflects the views of the wide range of audiences, so we welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds and experiences across Northern Ireland. You can read more about the  here and see our current membership .

Our meetings

The Audience Council met formally eight times during the year, including one meeting in Londonderry. Our meetings are chaired by the National Trustee for Northern Ireland, Dr Aideen McGinley, who is a vital link between the Audience Council and the Trust, ensuring that local voices and issues are raised at the highest level of 麻豆社 decision-making.

At our meetings we considered a wide range of audience related information, from the feedback we received directly from licence fee payers, to research and performance data. We discussed briefings from 麻豆社 management and independent Trust advisers. Working together, we agreed advice for a number of significant Trust decisions and discussed emerging issues for audiences, which helps to inform the Trust’s forward agenda. In addition to our scheduled meetings, members met as small subcommittees to take forward particular aspects of our work.

In March we met in an extended conference format to assess the 麻豆社’s performance in Northern Ireland in 2013/14, one of our responsibilities under the 麻豆社 Charter. Our assessment has been considered by the Trust and is outlined in this review.

Engaging with audiences

Our advice to the Trust is grounded in the views of local audiences, and this is what gives it authority and insight. We have a programme of direct engagement with audiences to understand what they expect of the 麻豆社 and how well they think it is delivering.

In 2013/14 we hosted 15 discussions with different sections of the audience, taking us to Newry, Derry, Dungannon, Lisburn, Carrickfergus, Belfast and Portadown. In some instances we met with particular groups - such as colleges, clubs and community groups - to hear their perspectives on 麻豆社 programmes and services. At other times we have opened the doors, and the agenda, to all comers, such as in our discussion events in Newry and Derry. We joined the 麻豆社 Experience Roadshow in Lisburn and Dungannon to hear from visitors to these events. We also hosted two more focused events to inform our advice for the Trust’s review of 麻豆社 television. One discussion involved viewers with an interest in television drama and the other focused on the views and interests of younger audiences, with contributions from a number of youth groups from different parts of Northern Ireland.

These discussions are vital to our understanding of audiences in Northern Ireland, and never fail to offer new insights and perspectives as well as clear, and often impassioned views, on what matters to licence fee payers. We are immensely grateful to everyone who took the time to share their opinions with us.

Audience priorities and emerging issues

We also help to identify emerging issues of importance to audiences, which may then be reflected in the Trust’s plan of work. All of our engagement activities allow audiences to raise issues and concerns about any aspects of the 麻豆社’s performance and public service remit. Conversations have encompassed editorial standards, how the 麻豆社 spends licence fee funds, access to 麻豆社 services, developing technology, the different interests of particular sections of the audience, and how well the 麻豆社 delivers its public service remit for society as a whole.

Each year the four Audience Councils - for Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales - identify areas where audiences in their respective nations would like to see improvements in the coming year. In January, representatives of the four Councils met with the Trust to discuss these. We also took the opportunity to share insights and views for the 麻豆社 television review directly with Trust members.

The audience priorities for 2014/15 are outlined at the end of this review, and we will assess performance against these next year.

Reviews of 麻豆社 services

This year the Trust carried out major reviews of network (i.e. UK-wide) news and current affairs as well as 麻豆社 television. This is part of the Trust’s responsibility under the 麻豆社’s Charter to review all of the 麻豆社’s services at least once every five years. The reviews ask if the services are meeting the expectations of their audiences and delivering against their public service remits, and they also examine how the services might need to adapt to deliver for audiences in the future. The Trust’s four Audience Councils provide early on behalf of audiences in their respective nations, and this helps to inform the framework for the reviews.

We were pleased to see the  taking forward so many of the issues which audiences across Northern Ireland had raised with us. The Trust has also published the findings of its . You can read more about the performance of these services, and local audiences' expectations, in our assessment below.

Our interest in service reviews continues as the Trust recommendations are implemented, and we can see whether the intended benefits are delivered for audiences. This year we have kept a close eye on the outcomes from the 2012/13 reviews of 麻豆社 Online and children’s services, C麻豆社 and CBeebies. We have noted a number of initiatives to respond to recommendations in the children’s services review, such as helping children transition from CBeebies to C麻豆社. We are pleased that the online offer is developing but are disappointed that there has not yet been further development of 麻豆社 Northern Ireland’s news pages, particularly at weekends.

In 2014/15 the Trust will review network radio services, that is to say those services aimed at a UK-wide audience - Radio 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 live and the digital stations. 麻豆社 Radio Ulster/Foyle was reviewed in 2010 and will be reviewed again in 2015/16. We are always keen to hear audience views and will publish details of audience events and other opportunities to get involved on our website and in our electronic newsletter.

Impartiality and independence at the 麻豆社

The Trust has a particular role to protect the independence of the 麻豆社, and one of the ways it does this is through a series of impartiality reviews focusing on different aspects of output. This year the Trust reviewed the accuracy and impartiality of the 麻豆社’s coverage of rural areas across the UK. We recognise that this is an area of considerable interest and importance in Northern Ireland, and we have listened carefully to the range of views from audiences and stakeholders here. The Trust has published its conclusions .

Each year the Audience Council reports to the Trust on how well the 麻豆社 is performing for audiences in Northern Ireland. Our assessment has drawn on a wide range of audience information, our knowledge of 麻豆社 strategy and services and, in particular, our understanding of the views of local audiences.

We considered the range of 麻豆社 services relevant to the audience in Northern Ireland: both UK-wide and local services across television, radio and online platforms. We also looked at how well the 麻豆社 had performed against its  and the  that we had identified for the year. Our assessment of the 麻豆社’s performance, on behalf of local audiences, is outlined below.

麻豆社 Television

This year we engaged with a wide range of audiences to contribute to the . The majority of people we spoke with value 麻豆社 television and find programmes that interest them across the week. Audiences especially appreciate the quality and range of programmes and the lack of adverts. They think that the 麻豆社 should invest more in network comedy and drama, and that it should do more to keep pace with the rapid pace of change in technology and help audiences find relevant content.

We are aware that audiences in Northern Ireland watch less 麻豆社 television than their counterparts in other parts of the UK. Whilst local programmes have an overall positive impact on channel share here, network programmes, that is those aimed at a UK-wide audience, tend to perform less well. The reasons for this are undoubtedly complex. However, we would like to see audiences in Northern Ireland derive more value from 麻豆社 television and we have asked for more content, especially on 麻豆社 One network, which would appeal to audiences here.

This year the 麻豆社’s management announced plans, subject to Trust approval, to close 麻豆社 Three as a broadcast channel in 2015 and replace it with an online service. Later this year the Trust will carry out a public value test, a full and rigorous assessment of the proposals, including a public consultation. Northern Ireland has a young population with many ideas about how they want to be served by the 麻豆社, and we will work to ensure that their voices are heard.

麻豆社 Northern Ireland programmes have continued to perform very well, with non-news programmes adding over 4% to channel share even though they represent a small proportion of total broadcast hours. 麻豆社 Northern Ireland’s programmes regularly feature in the most popular programmes for 麻豆社 One and 麻豆社 Two in Northern Ireland and include high quality and distinctive programmes such as The Disappeared, Five Fables and True North.

Audience research suggests that coverage of special events has had a particularly positive impact on viewing figures and audience perceptions. This coincides with feedback we received from audiences who said that programmes about events such as the G8 summit, Derry-Londonderry UK City of Culture 2013 and the World Police and Fire Games contributed to the delivery of the Public Purposes and a wider and more positive portrayal of Northern Ireland. We would like to see 麻豆社 Northern Ireland, and indeed the wider 麻豆社, learn from and build on this success.

We are mindful of the pressure of resources on 麻豆社 Northern Ireland, which has played its part in significant efficiency cuts in recent years. The current balance of local to network programmes seems to meet most people’s expectations as a base, although audiences want to be assured that there will be continued investment in local comedy and drama as well as special events. We would like to see some additional funding made available for special programme projects which can add to the range and appeal of local content.

麻豆社 Radio

The 麻豆社 radio networks are the subject of two Trust service reviews in 2014/15, focusing on music radio and speech radio respectively. We are currently engaging with a range of audiences to inform our advice to the Trust. We are aware that, across the UK, audiences are spending less time with 麻豆社 radio and we consider that this will be one of the key areas for the Trust to consider in its review.

Radio 5 live and Radio 1 continue to perform well here and Radio 1’s One Big Weekend as part of Derry-Londonderry City of Culture 2013 celebrations had a very positive impact. Historically, audiences for Radio 2 and Radio 4 are below the UK average in Northern Ireland, but this is at least in part informed by the wide popularity of 麻豆社 Radio Ulster among the target audience.

Listening to the 麻豆社’s digital stations, such as Radio 4 extra, 5 live extra and 6 Music is relatively low in Northern Ireland, where digital radio take-up is slow compared with the UK as a whole, and awareness of the stations appears to be limited.

Radio Ulster/Foyle has maintained strong audience reach. The station plays an important role in the 麻豆社’s commitment to serve all audiences, as a significant proportion of its audience does not listen to any other 麻豆社 radio station. Ofcom research shows it is a particularly important source of news in Northern Ireland, even though audiences have a very wide choice of news sources across different platforms. Radio Foyle also performed well, recording its highest weekly reach this year, and demonstrating the quality of its output from arts coverage to news.

Radio Ulster/Foyle experienced a drop in average hours of listening in 2013/14, which appears to be part of a wider trend for 麻豆社 radio across the UK. Audiences have told us that they expect the station to refresh its schedule to ensure continued relevance and appeal against a backdrop of significant changes in Northern Ireland society. We would like to see the local news and factual agenda - including Radio Ulster/Foyle’s output - provide greater range and depth on a wide range of issues beyond politics. For example, we believe there is a need for a dedicated business programme that can provide more depth and analysis than is possible within news bulletins. We consider that the station’s contribution to delivering the 麻豆社’s Public Purposes, and a distinctive offer, should not be compromised purely to drive up listening figures.

Digital services

Audiences have told us how much they value the 麻豆社 iPlayer to catch up on programmes they have missed. We are pleased that the Trust has approved a , to extend the catch up window from seven to 30 days. We are aware that there can be a lag in providing nations’ and local content on digital services as they develop. This content is an integral part of the 麻豆社 offer for many sections of the audience in Northern Ireland and we think it is essential that the 麻豆社 works to find the right place for it on its ever evolving digital services.

麻豆社 Online was reviewed by the Trust in 2013 and we advised then that audiences in Northern Ireland appreciated the service but wanted greater promotion, more effective user journeys and increased personalisation. We will continue to monitor progress against the Trust’s recommendations. The newly launched iWonder brand was a helpful development this year, given our advice that the Knowledge and Learning section of the site was not fulfilling its potential. We look forward to seeing how this aspect of the service develops to meet audience needs.

We were pleased to see 麻豆社 Northern Ireland’s online pages reaching a wide audience, especially as more and more people use mobile devices. We particularly want to see further development of 麻豆社 Northern Ireland’s news online pages at weekends.

麻豆社 News

麻豆社 News is highly valued by its audience and continues to reach a high proportion of adults in Northern Ireland each week. Local audiences also have high expectations of 麻豆社 News and want to see further enhancements. They want 麻豆社 News to keep pace with changes in technology and consumption patterns - for instance in providing more depth and breadth of content on mobile devices, and doing more to meet the needs of younger audiences. They also see opportunities for the 麻豆社 to provide greater variety in tone and agenda, and to enhance its storytelling, without losing its reputation for authority and accuracy. Many people we spoke with disliked what they saw as an unnecessarily aggressive interviewing style on some programmes, and they would like to see a greater diversity of voices on air, including more external contributors. We also heard concerns about value for money, and calls for network news to do more to reflect the devolved nations of the UK.

Audiences in Northern Ireland have a very strong appetite for news, especially at local level. 麻豆社 Newslinehas continued to achieve good audience reach throughout the day in a highly competitive environment. Audiences have told us that they would like to see the news and factual agenda develop even more to reflect the range of interests beyond parliamentary affairs, and to provide more depth and analysis.

Progress against audience priorities for 2013/14

In last year's review we reported five priority areas where the audience would like to see improvements in 2013/14.

Our assessment of the 麻豆社’s performance against these priorities is outlined below.

Maintaining the quality and distinctiveness of local services

We welcome the continued strong performance of 麻豆社 Northern Ireland services at a time when efficiency savings have really started to impact on staffing and budgets. However, we are mindful of a number of challenges associated with these savings, including limitations in funding sports rights, testing new ideas in expensive genres like comedy and drama, and maintaining the range of local television opts. We hope that this will not limit 麻豆社 Northern Ireland in sustaining the positive impact of its events coverage.

Delivering the best journalism in the world

We are pleased that high reach and quality measures have been maintained by 麻豆社 Northern Ireland news and current affairs. However, audiences we spoke with would like to see the news and factual agenda continue to evolve to reflect changes in society here and provide more breadth and depth across the range of public policy areas. We have kept this as a priority for 2014/15, recognising that we are describing an evolutionary change over time, and also that audiences expect further progress.

We have welcomed progress in reporting the devolved nations on network news programmes. However, audiences do tell us that UK news is too often reported through the prism of Westminster in devolved matters such as health, education and welfare.  We agree with the Trust’s assessment in its review of network news and current affairs that there is more to be done to reflect the increasingly complex policy landscape of the UK. We would particularly like to see network news do more to inform understanding and debate by comparing different policies and approaches around the UK. We are pleased that the Trust’s review of network news and current affairs has set expectations for further improvements and we will keep a close eye on how this develops.

Last year we were very aware of the impact of the Savile affair on the audience’s trust in the 麻豆社’s journalism. We note that audience perceptions of 麻豆社 News are high compared with other providers. However, we think it is vital that trust in 麻豆社 News is fully restored and we therefore welcome the Trust’s commitment to monitor these perceptions closely in the coming year.

Portrayal

Audiences have told us that they would like to see a fuller and more authentic representation of life in Northern Ireland on the 麻豆社’s networks, for a UK-wide audience. Trust research shows that Northern Ireland audience expectations are high in this regard. This year we were pleased to see an uplift in audience views about how well Northern Ireland is represented in news as well as drama, entertainment and other programmes. The 麻豆社 Two drama, The Fall, had a particularly positive impact, with audiences appreciating the fact that this high quality drama was filmed and set in Northern Ireland, with a storyline that wasn’t rooted in the Troubles. We were also interested to hear how local audiences have valued seeing Northern Ireland characters and storylines in other high profile dramas, such as Silent Witness, Line of Duty and Call The Midwife.

We welcome this progress but are mindful that this remains the area with the largest performance gap for local audiences in Trust Public Purposes research. We particularly want to see the impact in drama sustained, through new projects as well as returning series. We are therefore particularly pleased that The Fall has been recommissioned for a second series.

Programmes made in Northern Ireland for the networks

One of the ways of delivering a more authentic portrayal of Northern Ireland is to broadcast more programmes made here on the 麻豆社’s networks, for a UK-wide audience. In 2008 the 麻豆社 Trust agreed 麻豆社 management’s strategy to ensure that more network television output was produced outside London, including Northern Ireland. The Council strongly endorses the aims of this approach - to better reflect life across the UK, to contribute to economic sustainability in the nations, and to nurture creative talent wherever it is found.

We were pleased to see a recovery in the supply of programmes from Northern Ireland made specifically for the TV networks, from 1.3% of eligible network spend in 2012/13 to 2.2% in 2013/14. The quality of programmes - ranging from editions of Panorama and This World to Line of Duty, The Fall and The Disappeared - is evident, and a source of local pride. Long running strands, Sunday Live, Points of View andWanted Down Under, are produced in Northern Ireland and, whilst they do not aim to portray life here, they do contribute significantly to the development and sustainability of the local production base. We are mindful, however, that the benefits that the Trust anticipated - particularly in relation to the economic sustainability of the creative sector and portrayal - are not yet fully achieved. The 麻豆社 has a particular role to play within the creative sector in Northern Ireland and we believe there needs to be further progress, particularly with respect to those genres that are produced by the independent sector.

Last year we considered the impact of a new strategy which provides for some local 麻豆社 Northern Ireland programmes to be broadcast again on the networks for a UK-wide audience. This initiative has obvious value for money benefits and also the potential to provide audiences across the UK with a broader and richer representation of life in Northern Ireland. Last year we advised the Trust that this was an opportunity missed, as relatively few 麻豆社 Northern programmes had transferred.

This year we are pleased to report that considerably more programmes had a network broadcast, ranging from Groundbreakers and Danny Boy: The Ballad that Bewitched the World on 麻豆社 Four, to Farm Fixer on 麻豆社 One and Hit the Stage on C麻豆社. However, there were also programmes that we felt had a UK-wide appeal that did not transfer. In particular, we think that there were opportunities to bring more of UK City of Culture 2013 to a network television audience. We have also suggested that there are opportunities to broadcast suitable nations' programmes in 麻豆社 Two daytime, in place of network repeats. We would like to see more local programmes broadcast on the networks next year, without diluting their relevance and appeal to audiences here in Northern Ireland.

Access to 麻豆社 services

Audiences expect to be able to access the full range of licence fee funded services in ways that are convenient to them. In Northern Ireland over a quarter of households do not have access to 麻豆社 Radio Ulster on digital (DAB) radio. We are pleased that the 麻豆社 has committed to build out coverage to 90% of households, although mindful that delivery of this ambition is not yet fully planned and assured. There is also a build-out plan for the 麻豆社’s network radio stations, some of which - like Radio 4 extra, 6 Music and 5 live extra - are not available through analogue sets. The build-out plan will, however, impact unevenly across the UK, with Northern Ireland expecting to achieve coverage of around 88% of households - lower than many other parts of the UK. We have received updates from 麻豆社 management on their ambition to make Radio Foyle available on DAB radio, but we are disappointed that this has not yet been achieved.

麻豆社 One Northern Ireland HD (high definition) was successfully launched with digital switchover in October 2012. However, 麻豆社 Two HD does not carry local opts and we think this will become more of an issue for audiences when the channel moves further up the epg (electronic programme guide) as more viewers switch to HD. We are very aware of the significant resources involved but we have also advised the Trust of the importance of local programming on 麻豆社 Two Northern Ireland, as part of the overall mix for local viewers.

The Trust continues to explore this issue with the Executive and has asked for a roadmap for the delivery of nations' opts on the HD channel. In the meantime, it has been agreed that the 麻豆社 will continue to broadcast 麻豆社 Two Northern Ireland SD (standard definition), as well as its counterparts in Scotland and Wales.

On a broader note, we have also reminded the Trust that some sections of the audience - not just in Northern Ireland - have limited access to broadband. It is vital that the 麻豆社 takes these audiences into account as it develops its services, finding the right balance between keeping up with new technology and consumption patterns and fulfilling its remit to serve all audiences.

Each year in response to audience feedback, we identify areas where we would particularly like to see improvements in 麻豆社 services. We have identified the priorities below for 2014/15:

1.  Reflecting and serving a contemporary and changing society in Northern Ireland on the 麻豆社’s networks and local services

Audiences we speak with want to see the local news and factual agenda continually evolving to reflect the many ways in which society is changing.

On network news and current affairs we would like to see further comparisons of approaches to different policy issues in different parts of the UK, better reflecting the increased complexity of devolution.

We would like to see 麻豆社 Northern Ireland, and indeed the wider 麻豆社, learn from and build on the success of special events coverage.

2.  Making more programmes in Northern Ireland for the 麻豆社’s networks

We would like to see more programmes made in Northern Ireland broadcast on the 麻豆社’s networks, to further contribute to the sustainability of the local creative industries, and to provide enhanced portrayal of communities and ways of life here.

3.  Access to 麻豆社 services

We would like DAB digital radio coverage to be extended in Northern Ireland for both the UK-wide networks and 麻豆社 Radio Ulster. We would also like to see Radio Foyle being carried on DAB.

We have asked the Trust to ensure that there is an appropriate roadmap for delivery of 麻豆社 Two Northern Ireland opts on HD.

We think it is important that the 麻豆社 considers how best to include nations' and local programmes and services from the outset, when it is planning new ways for audiences to consume content.

4.  Looking to the future

In looking to the future, it is important that the 麻豆社’s priorities and evolving services take full account of the needs of audiences across the UK.

We also believe that the 麻豆社 needs to do more to serve younger audiences, in their teens and twenties, across different platforms and services.

April 2013 - March 2014*

Aideen McGinley, Chair

Mark Glover

Diarmaid Hanna

Elaine Hicks

Richard Hill

Helen Jackson

Brendan Johnston

Aidan Langan

Steven Law

Peter Mann

Niall McCaughan

Paul McMenemy

Paul Mullan

Joan Shine

Beverley Todd

Mahendra Varma

*includes members whose term began or ended during the year

If you would like a copy of the Annual Review 2013/14 in an alternative format, please contact us at:audiencecouncil.ni@bbc.co.uk or telephone 028 9033 8856 or textphone 028 9033 8100.